1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to golf ball delivery apparatus and, more particularly, to apparatus and systems for setting or delivering golf balls onto a golf ball tee.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
Golf driving ranges have become extremely popular for use by golfers to practice golf swings in order to improve accuracy, distance and proficiency as well as to correct problems in the golf swing. Typical driving ranges sell buckets of golf balls to be utilized by the golfers for practice. After each practice drive or swing, the golfer must bend over to pick up a new golf ball from the bucket and place the new golf ball on a golf ball tee in preparation for the next practice swing. Repeated bending by the golfer can cause injury and strain in the legs and back and is particularly problematic for golfers with existing back problems. In addition, the amount of time available for practice is reduced due to the time required to "tee up" for each practice swing.
Various apparatus for delivering golf balls automatically or on demand to a golf ball tee have been proposed. Representative of prior art golf ball delivery apparatus are U.S. Pat. No. 5,326,107 to Park, U.S. Pat. No. 5,282,628 to Kamori et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,259,622 to Irving, U.S. Pat. No. 5,131,661 to Jorgensen, U.S. Pat. No. 4,995,614 to Tange, U.S. Pat. No. 4,892,318 to Jennings, U.S. Pat. No. 4,817,955 to Hickson et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,796,893 to Choi, U.S. Pat. No. 4,265,453 to Loof, U.S. Pat. No. 3,003,770 to Jones, U.S. Pat. No. 2,171,299 to Beckett, U.S. Pat. No. 2,071,356 and U.S. Pat. No. 1,940,321 to Pagett, U.S. Pat. No. 348,497 to Tange and U.S. Pat. No. 345,665 to Luther. Prior art golf ball delivery apparatus have various disadvantages including complexity of structure, construction and/or operation, the inability to be easily transported, the inability to be used away from a commercial driving range, adverse impact on the golfer's swing, inconvenient operating procedures or protocols disliked by golfers, high installation, maintenance and operating costs, susceptibility to major damage when accidentally hit by a golfer, the tendency for golf balls to bind or jam and the failure of golf balls to be accurately, consistently delivered to a golf ball tee.